Dark Moon – Lori Handeland

I am becoming quite the paranormal addict. And the quality of books I’m getting my hands on isn’t doing anything to alleviate my new-found passion. It was mainly vampires, but now I’ve discovered how cool werewolf novels can be too! However, this one is categorised on Amazon as being erotic, which I don’t strictly agree with. Yes, the plot contains a fair bit of sex, but it’s not graphic, and it’s as a result of the relationship between two of the main characters. The erotic element isn’t what moves the book along, and isn’t a main focus. So if it’s erotica you’re after, you’ll only get a very mild thrill from this novel.

However, I digress. Dark Moon is a fab, if not pretty complex, novel. Dr Elise Hanover is a research scientist trying to discover the cure for lycanthropy – that is, turning into a werewolf when there’s a full moon. It’s a subject very close to her heart, namely because she also suffers the affliction. From birth, the virus resided in her veins, but only the discovery of her one true love unlocked the full potential. And a cruel twist of fate meant that having found Nic, Elise then had to leave, deserting poor Nic and breaking her heart.

Years later, Elise is holed up in a secret laboratory busily looking for a cure for lycanthropy, when Nic shows up. The pair are dumbfounded to be faced with one another after all these years. Elise, because she never stopped loving him and only left because she had no choice, and Nic because he believed Elise was dead. Reacquainted, the pair have no idea how to react. Nic has tons of questions for Elise… ones she can’t answer. Because Nic is FBI, and divulging secrets would spell the end of Elise’s life.

A temporary distraction from Nic’s questions is the total destruction of the laboratory and everything in it, leaving a rather large crater in the ground. The pair are stranded in the middle of nowhere with no means of communication, and only an ATV to get them around. And someone is shooting bullets. Silver ones. Werewolves can heal themselves from ordinary wounds, but silver will kill them for good. Which can mean only one thing. Someone knows what Elise is, and wants her dead.

The two have little choice but to go to Edward, Elise’s intimidating and eccentric boss. As they try to piece together what’s happened, and what is going to happen, things get much worse…

For me, this was a great introduction to the world of werewolf novels. It’s not sexy in the way vampire novels can be, as obviously when a human becomes ‘furry’ they don’t resemble a human and therefore lose the eroticism. But this book most definitely had some sexy action… but when Elise was in human form. The tension between the two main characters is palpable, and all the way through the book I was constantly on edge to find out what was going to happen next. I enjoyed this, and will be eagerly working my way through the rest of Lori Handeland’s books.